Instinct
by KingResetti
Summary: The battle is over; The group is disbanded and Inuyasha takes the jewel to become a full demon. Kagome is left alone with nowhere to go until Kouga comes and gives her a place to belong. But when she's there he starts acting a little strange; and why is there a sudden decrease with food available in the area? Is something else there they don't know about? M for sexual situations.
1. Chapter 1

He stood there, his white hair blowing in the wind as he looked back on the village where he spent so much of his time at.

He knew who was still there and who he was leaving behind.

In his hand, was the now complete Sacred Jewel.

He had finally made his decision to become a full-fledged demon.

As he sighed longingly, he silently turned away to be on his way when he heard a twig snap behind him.  
"Inuyasha."

He didn't have to turn his head to know who it was.

"Why are you here, Kagome?"

He could feel her walk closer to him, cautiously. "Because I knew you would be here."

"And why is that?" Inuyasha asked.

Somehow he knew she was smiling. "Because I know you. Three years together doesn't leave me and you as strangers. I know you wavered from your goal of becoming full demon at times but deep down you feel like you really have to, right?"

He didn't say anything. Kagome took a few more steps.

"I'm not going to stop you."

At this, he spun around and stared incredulously at her.

She was holding back tears, but she was still smiling at him.

"I love you, Inuyasha. I always have. But, this is what you want. And with this, the jewel will be gone forever and no one is left to come after us for it. I will have no more ties to this place. I think if you take that jewel and run off to do what you will do, I can accept it and move on. I've been waiting for you to return your feelings to me for so long that I can't take it anymore. I will be happy so long as you are. And if this is what will make you happy, so be it."

Inuyasha still couldn't speak. He could only stare. He wanted to avoid a goodbye as much as possible because he knew something like this might happen. He felt tears forming in his own eyes and he had to shut them for a moment to stop them.

Kagome walked even closer and slowly wrapped her arms around his waist. Inuyasha opened his eyes and stared down at her. "Kagome…"

No matter what he chose to do, he really did care for this girl.

He hugged her back and she relaxed slightly.

"Is this what you truly want, Inuyasha?" She whispered.

He pulled back so he could look down at her face. "Yes. I'm so sorry Kagome. But I have made my decision."

She bit her lip before nodding her head.

"Well, this is going to be goodbye for us then." She said before pulling away.

Inuyasha let go of her body and he saw sadness reflecting in her eyes. "I-I could still come back you know, being a full-fledged demon doesn't mean I'm going to try and hurt you or-" Kagome shook her head and let her tears fall.

"No, it's over after this. Naraku is gone, the jewel is complete, and peace has been achieved. The only thing that is keeping me here now is you. And I knew it was only a time before that tie was broken too."

She wiped her face and took a deep breath and Inuyasha braced himself.

"Goodbye Inuyasha. I wish you the best of luck." She smiled that sad smile once more. It nearly broke his heart.

"Goodbye, Kagome. I… I hope you will be happy." He wanted to return her smile but couldn't bring himself to do it.

They looked at each other for a few more moments before Kagome turned and made her way back to the village. Inuyasha stayed to watch her go, before turning and starting the path to a new life.

Two weeks had passed since Inuyasha left. Sango and Miroku had headed off to be together and settle down. Shippo stayed in Kaede's village to help the old woman out, since she found difficulty with her age. And Kagome, she felt like she didn't belong anywhere.

She was determined to go back to her own time after the war with Naraku ended, but what was there for her now?

She was so adjusted to the lifestyle in the Feudal Era. Back in her time, she was too behind in school to ever have hopes of catching up, and most people had forgotten about her besides her family, who was quite used to not having her around by now. To spend three years in one time and then to try and go right back to the other was seemingly impossible.

So she made the decision to stay behind in Kaede's village. She wasn't of much help, there was no jewel that needed protecting, and Shippo was all the help that was usually needed. She felt left out at times, but it was better than being completely alone.

Day by day, she tried to busy herself with small tasks. Sweeping in places that didn't need sweeping, gathering more kindling when there was already plenty, making small talk with folks who didn't care about what she had to say. And all the while thinking about Inuyasha.

She was finally getting over him. But she couldn't help thinking maybe her choice wasn't the best, or things would have worked out better if she did things differently. She would shake the thoughts out of her head and tell herself she did what any other woman in love would do- letting the one you love go to be happy.

It was a day when she was sitting by the nearby lake when she was thinking about this.

'I wonder where he is right now…' She thought before hitting herself lightly upside the head. 'No! Come on Kagome. Get it together. He got what he wanted and he's out of your life now.'

She sat on the bank of the lake and was running her hands through the smooth water absentmindedly.

'It is becoming easier to think back on our times together now. This must be a sure sign I'm really getting over him.' She tried to encourage herself mentally.

While she was watching the ripples her hand made in the water, she heard a loud noise in the distance. Like a stampede.

She got up and looked curiously in the direction of where it was coming from and instinctively reached for her bow and an arrow off her back.

'What would a pack of demons be doing out here? What are they?' She thought as she felt a strong aura approaching. She readied her bow.

There was a crash through the trees before he appeared.

Kagome stood, pointing her arrow directly at a familiar face of a particular wolf tribe.

"Kouga?!" She yelled, absolutely shocked as to why he would be in the area. She could see a pack of wolves following behind him. So that's what the 'stampede' was.

"Hellooo, Kagome! I didn't mean to scare you, would you um, mind lowering your bow?"

She nearly forgot she was still ready to shoot right at him. Kagome relaxed her grip on the arrow and set the bow on the ground.

"What are you doing over here?" Kagome asked, approaching him.

He flashed a smile before taking her hands in his. "Just coming to see my woman, is that a problem?"

She rolled her eyes, but it was almost comforting to still have some normalcy.

"Are you sure that's your only reason?" She asked sarcastically.

He lowered her hands and took on a more serious tone. "Actually, I'm out here hunting."

This was not a response she expected. "Hunting?"

Kouga nodded. "A big source of food for us before I met you was humans. Letting our wolves run through villages to destroy and devour was not uncommon. But, after meeting you and fighting alongside you and your human friends, that way of life was abandoned. So we relied primarily on boars, deer, any kind of game we could get in the area. But lately…" He trailed off.

Kagome looked up at him, clearly wondering what he was going to say. He shook his head as if clearing it of other thoughts. "Well lately it's been a bit rough for finding food over there. We came a little bit of a ways out just to try and catch something. Some of my other wolves are close by too and hopefully have caught something. I probably wouldn't have come out this far if I didn't smell your scent in the air, of course." He again flashed a cocky smile, earning him a smirk from Kagome.

"So what do you think could be the cause of the lack of animals in your area?" Kagome asked. She never realized that his den was only a couple miles away from here.

Kouga frowned. "That's what I would like to know. Being a pack leader is a lot more difficult when you have to go further out each day to provide for all the wolves. We've looked around the area but there isn't any disturbance that is obvious as to why they would be disappearing so quickly."

Kagome was about to say something but was interrupted by a loud chorus of howls in the distance. Kouga's pointed ears perked up and he stood up straight, listening intently. When they stopped, he smiled. "All right! The others found plenty to eat. I'll have to go over and help them take it all back."

Kagome nodded. "Feel free to stop by any time, I'm always here now." Kouga looked back at her, confused. "You're not traveling with mutt face anymore?"

She suppressed a cringe. "No. He... He left us to do what he's been wanting to do for a long time." Kouga stared at her knowing there was much more to her words.

"I'm sorry Kagome. You're welcome to come with me!" She thought he said it jokingly but he looked pretty serious. She immediately shook her head.

"No, thank you but they need me here in the village…" Kagome chewed nervously on her bottom lip. She didn't know why but she didn't feel very convincing when she said it. Still though, Kouga respected her and only smiled. "Offer will always be on the table. I'm off now. Take care of yourself." He turned and walked to his wolves.

Kagome stared at him. He lifted his head to the sky and started sniffing the air, probably trying to find where the others in his pack were at. His ponytail of long black hair reached to his lower back. His muscles in his arms flexed as he reached down to pat one of his wolves on the head and exchange some form of communication. He turned back once and flashed a perfect smile at her and his blue eyes shone as he waved once to her. She waved back and thought to herself that this was the first time really looking at Kouga.

She always put Inuyasha first and now he's out of the picture, there was plenty of room for Kouga. He was very attractive she had to admit. And not to mention how he has treated her with the utmost kindness, without counting their rough first encounter.

And really, what was here for her anyways. The thought of another person walking past her without even noticing her presence made anger slowly rise up inside of her. She could try all she wanted to be of help, but in reality, she was totally unneeded here. She knew how to survive by eating things other than animals they hunted after spending so long traveling through the forests. Maybe she could be of help to Kouga more than here. At least that's what she was trying to convince herself of as he turned and began running with his wolves away from her.

She tossed her thoughts back and forth in her mind, trying to quickly come up with something. If she let him run off now, she would feel stuck in this village forever. Was it wrong to so desperately want change? When it came bursting out of the trees and into her face, was it wrong to believe in fate and just go with it?

Her body moved before she could come to a rational decision. She sprinted after him.

"Kouga! Wait!"

Yes! A new story here!  
I apologize if this first chapter was a bit slow. Introducing the plot and whatnot.

I'm very excited to get going with this story. I have many plans for it. I will be updating with at least one new chapter every week.

_**Reviews are greatly encouraged**_! Constructive criticism or any comments on the story, please~ It's a big encouragement for me to keep writing.


	2. Chapter 2

Kouga stopped running and whipped his head around to see Kagome, charging at him full force.

"Kago-" "AHHHH!" She screamed as she crashed right into him and they toppled over together.

Kagome was half on top of him, half in the dirt and grass. She blinked a few times to clear her head from the fall and looked up at Kouga, who was now laughing hysterically.

"Why did you think you had to tackle me to get my attention? Kagome I was only about 15 feet away from you, I could hear you scream my name just fine!" He said, while trying to catch his breath from laughing so much. Kagome's face slowly reddened.

"Sorry! I-I just acted without thinking I guess." She mumbled.

He patted her head and helped them both up. "Well, what was that all about? Did you change your mind about coming with me?" His chest swelled up a bit with pride.

Kagome looked flustered. "Well it's only because I think I would be able to help out with your tribe. I'm really good at gathering berries and finding other plants to eat." Kouga smiled down at her. "Well, I said you were welcome to come back with me and I meant it."

He picked her up bridal style and she gasped at the unexpected movement. "Kouga I can walk just fine-" "Yes but you wouldn't be able to keep up with us, would you?" He interrupted. She shook her head; she definitely did not have the speed of a wolf. Even without the jewel shards in his legs, Kouga was fast.

He was about to start off again when Kagome reached up and tapped him to get his attention. "Could we stop by the village before we leave? I don't want to leave without saying goodbye, plus I have a few things of mine I want to grab."

Kouga tried not to smile too much and just nodded. That means she planned on staying for a good amount of time. Of course he always had feelings for her, but now he's actually given the chance to really show her how much he cares.

Kagome told Kouga to stand outside while she went into the hut her and Shippo shared. Shippo was sitting in the corner and playing with some of his fox magic tools. He looked up when Kagome entered, and immediately ran up to her smiling.

"Kagome welcome back! Today, Kaede taught me how to change the bandages on someone who is wounded. It reminded me when you used to do that for Inuyasha!" Kagome noticed how easily Shippo could mention Inuyasha and faked a smile for him. She didn't want him knowing that even hearing his name caused her chest to tighten. "That's wonderful Shippo!"

Shippo smiled at the compliment and let her walk past him. "So what are you up to, Kagome?" He asked cheerfully. She kept a smile on her face, this time it was a bit more sincere.

"I'm going to head off with Kouga to help him take care of his people. There's been a bit of a problem in the hunting, so I think it'd be best if I went out there to teach them how to live off things other than meat and whatever else they may eat. There's probably all kinds of berries or vegetables growing around there that they would never think to pick!"

Shippo stared at her for a few seconds before talking. "So you're leaving us?" He asked quietly. Kagome was worried he would be upset. "Yes Shippo, but I'll be back, don't worry. You're of good help to Kaede, you'll do fine while I'm gone." She said.

Shippo nodded and then jumped up to hug her. "I'm gonna miss you Kagome!" He wailed. She patted him on the back and smiled. She would miss him too.

Kagome set him down after a minute so she could begin to get ready. He sniffled while she bustled around the hut gathering her things into her large yellow bag. Some clothes, a bit of snacks she had saved from her last trip home, and other basic essentials she always had with her. She put her bow and arrows on her back and began double checking to make sure she had everything she needed.

"Kagome…?" Shippo's tiny voice came from the corner. Kagome looked away from her things at him. "What is it?" He fidgeted with one of his toys while speaking. "Do you think Inuyasha will ever come back?"

Kagome frowned. Of course he knew why Inuyasha left, but she tried to downplay everything for his sake. He might not have fully understood exactly what Inuyasha was going to do. "I don't think so, Shippo. Becoming a full-fledged demon changed his life. He's… different now."

Shippo rocked back and forth slightly. "How?" Kagome stared at him. This was a big question. "Well, think about all of the bad things that have happened because of the Sacred Jewel. I'm sure him becoming a full demon with it's power does not mean he became nicer." She tried to keep a light tone but Shippo still looked very worried. She sighed "I think he'd rather be by himself is what I'm getting at. He's a lot more powerful now, and doesn't want to hurt us. Just because he left doesn't mean he doesn't like us."

He didn't seem very happy with her answer, but he nodded. He continued to fidget with his toy while Kagome finished gathering her things.

Looking back over at Shippo, she opened her arms for a hug goodbye. He ran over and jumped up into them as he did before. "Don't forget to come back, okay…" He mumbled. She nodded and let him go. "I won't, I promise." Then she slipped out of the hut and back to Kouga.

He was standing there with his arms crossed and leaning against the side of the hut. A little further away, his pack of wolves waited patiently. She assumed he made them stay back so as not to alarm any of the villagers. When she walked out he looked up and smiled. "Ready to go?" He asked. Kagome returned his smile. "Yup! I hope you don't mind that my bag is so big…"

Looking at it, Kouga saw it was bulging with her things. He couldn't imagine why she needed to carry so much stuff with her all of the time, especially since she'd be perfectly taken care of at his den, but she lived a different way than he did.

"Not a problem." He grabbed it and slung it across his back. Kagome prepared herself to be picked up again but Kouga stopped when someone walked up behind him.

"You are the leader of the Eastern wolf tribe?" It was Lady Kaede. He turned around to look at her. "Yeah. And you are?" He questioned. Kagome walked closer to them and hoped nothing bad would be said. Kaede wasn't very trusting of demons, and Kouga was unfamiliar with this person.

"My name is Kaede. I am this village's priestess and healer. I also have been watching over Kagome here." She motioned to Kagome who was watching Kouga carefully.

Kouga raised his eyebrows for a moment, and after glancing at Kagome for a bit of reassurance, he bowed to Lady Kaede. Kagome gasped. She never had once seen him bow, especially with all the pride he holds as a wolf prince. Kaede seemed unaffected.

"I would like to thank you, then, Kaede. Without you I don't know where Kagome would be now. I appreciate your efforts in keeping her safe. But you need not worry from here on out, she will be under my care. I can assure you she will be cared for just as well as she is here."

Kagome was gaping at him. Kouga being this polite to anyone was a sight to see. She wondered where that cocky wolf she met 3 years ago went. Sure, he matured over time, but this was definitely significant progress she was seeing. She inwardly applauded him.

Kaede held her head high while looking down at the wolf demon bowing before her. She seemed to take a moment to think about his words before speaking. "I see. Well if I hear otherwise, there will be consequences. I may be old and frail, but I know many people who care about this girl here and won't stand to let her be treated poorly." She dropped her intimidating tone to smile kindly at him. "But, I know you'll be good to her. Your feelings for Kagome are clear."

With that, she seemed satisfied and turned to walk away. Kouga stood up straight again and smiled at her, relief clear on his face. "Is she always this protective?" He asked. Kagome giggled. "I suppose, yes."

She reached her arms out and let Kouga pick her up carefully. "So, where to?" She asked, excited to head off with him. She couldn't remember the last time she felt like this. She was happy, and looking forward to the future.

"Well, first I have to go find my wolves. You heard the pack call me earlier. We have to regroup and then, we head back to the den." Kouga whistled at the wolves that were standing by, waiting for a signal to go. They all stood up and got into what Kagome thought looked like a stance that meant they were ready to run.

"They're about half a mile Northwest of here! We're gonna sniff 'em out and follow the trail! I'll lead!" He called out to them, taking on a clear leadership quality. Kagome admired him a bit, being able to take control and lead a group so well. He flashed her his signature smirk, "Hold tight." and then, he was off.

The ride over was a bit rough. She bounced around in Kouga's arms and probably would have fallen out of them at some points, was his grip not so tight. The noise of the stampede was back again, following closely behind them. Most of the ride Kagome spent looking up at Kouga shyly so he wouldn't notice her staring.

With his jaw set and his eyes glued to the path in front of them, he looked very mature. But she could also see the thrill in his eyes, the light smile that played on his lips, and the occasional cocky remark to the wolves following that they better keep up with him.

She was beginning to have more and more thoughts about how handsome he was. His blue eyes went well with his dark hair and skin tone. His smile seemed perfect to her. His face was a good balance between boyish and that of a man's.

Once he glanced down quickly and she didn't have time to look away. Their eyes met and she saw a flash of something pass over his features before he smiled at her. It was a sweet smile, not his usual smirk. She was probably blushing, but she smiled back.

Not long after that, they heard another round of howls, this time very close by. It wasn't the ones following behind, so Kagome knew they were close to reaching the rest of his pack that was on the hunting trip.

She felt him start to slow before he completely stopped. She kept her head buried in his chest, oddly nervous. She hasn't been in a large group of wolf demons for more than two years. She peaked up and saw Kouga chuckling lightly at her.

"Are you scared or something? Come on!" He set her on her feet and she was forced to look around. With the two groups now combined together, there was about 50 wolves and wolf demons. She didn't recognize any of them.

Kagome felt a little awkward, many of them were looking at her curiously. They clearly didn't remember her either because a few were looking at her like food. She gulped.

"Alright listen up!" Kouga boomed, taking on his authoritative tone. All noise from the pack ceased and their ears perked up. "This here is Kagome. She will be staying with us for an indefinite amount of time and wants to help us out with the food situation. You will treat her with the same respect you do with me. You will not touch her. She is mine."

Kouga growled the last part and there seemed to be a mumble of understanding from the group. Kagome looked at him in surprise. 'I am his?' She thought. 'I mean he's called me "his woman" a few times but to address a whole group and saying that, 3 years after he first made any advance towards me is odd…'

Kouga noticed her looking at him and he looked a bit uncomfortable. He cleared his throat and started speaking again. "Now then! Gather up everything that you all caught today and let's get moving in the next few minutes! We don't want to get home before sundown!"

When Kouga finished talking he turned to Kagome and lowered his voice. "I'm really sorry if I offended you with the whole calling you mine thing…" He seemed embarrassed and Kagome found it a little cute. "It's just the only way they would really accept you. They're not too big on accepting help, especially from humans. If you're claimed by the pack leader, they just have to deal with it." He explained.

Kagome nodded and he sighed with relief. He expected her to be mad at him, maybe even slap him like she did the first time he tried putting a claim on her.

Although in all honestly, he probably wouldn't even care. Part of the reason he fell in love with her was that slap. She could be real feisty.

They waited another few minutes before Kouga called for everyone to round up and start moving. Again, he moved to the front of the group to lead.

And again, Kagome got to spend her time sitting in his strong arms and looking up at him, admiring him.

It was a bit of a longer trip to the den than to the spot where they regrouped. This time Kagome let herself think about how at the moment, she was Kouga's. At least that's what everyone around her thought. She wasn't mad about it like she normally would be and that frightened her.

Sure he was a good person and she could daydream all she wanted while sitting in his arms, but in reality she was still getting over Inuyasha. The only reason Kagome let herself go along with him was so she could feel like she was needed. It would at least be a useful distraction so she could stop spending her lonely days thinking back on when things were still great between her and Inuyasha. When Kouga showed her this affection she knew she could never return, her mind liked to wander to unrealistic things.

When they got close to the den, Kouga quickly switched Kagome's position so he was practically cradling her in his arms. He tucked her head under his chin, wrapped his arms more fully around her and leaned over her. She wondered what he was doing when suddenly she heard the rush of water. She turned her head slightly, which was difficult to do in the tight hold he now had her in.

It was more beautiful than she remembered. There was an open field they were running through with wild flowers everywhere. They were quickly coming up to a waterfall that came down into a clear, blue lake. There were rocks that jutted along the wall beside the waterfall that groups of wolf demons rested upon. The water sparkled in the light of the setting sun.

When Kouga started climbing along the rocks to get closer to the waterfall, she realized he was holding her like that to keep her from getting too wet. The den was located behind the water. He stopped and braced himself before taking the leap.

The noise of the water rushing around them filled Kagome's ears, but when they jumped through it became more of a quiet rumble. She realized she had her eyes closed and slowly opened them.

Looking around her, there were too many wolves and demons too count. She saw no women and she distantly wondered where they could be. Kouga set her down and as soon as her feet touched the floor, every pair of eyes was on her. Kouga didn't seem to notice and only said proudly, "Welcome to the den of the Eastern wolf tribe. Again."

I'm not too happy with the first two chapters but that's only because I just can't wait until I can get to writing the good and fluffy parts ;3

If there's anything you suggest I change or maybe add to the story, feel free to tell me!

_**~~~~~~~************~~~~~~~Review Goddamn~~~~~~~************~~~~~~~**_


	3. Chapter 3

Kagome stood very still and held her breath. She was currently standing in front of the entire Eastern wolf tribe. The room was near silent, which was shocking since there must have been nearly 200 wolves and demons in there.

Kouga, standing tall and proud next to her stared straight ahead at all of them as he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close. Her eyes widened as a wave of understanding seemed to pass through the group and most of them resumed what they were doing before Kagome and Kouga arrived. Some still stared.

They walked toward the back of the cave and Kagome tried to ignore the ones who glanced up and whispered as she passed by.

He let her sit on a fur mat against the wall and sat beside her, closer than he normally would have sat. "Continuing the whole "Kagome belongs to me" front?" She asked, her tone light. He seemed a bit surprised. "Not really. Why?" Kagome glanced down at the space between them. Or rather, the lack of space between them. His knee was touching hers and he slightly leaned against her shoulder.

"Nothing I guess..." She dropped the topic.

Kagome took her attention to her surroundings. Most of the demons were sitting in small groups and talking and joking. Some were eating. Others were either sitting alone or sharpening some tools.

Kouga seemed to search for something to say for a moment. "Well, do you have any questions about living here?" She thought about when she first arrived and noticed how there were no women. "Well, do you have any women or children here?" He looked at her before laughing softly.

"Of course. Wolves don't just come out of nowhere." He shook his head at the ridiculous thought. "There are tunnels throughout this place. I can show you the entrance. This is just the main hangout place for everyone since it's the biggest area. All of the women are probably taking care of the kids before they go to sleep." She curiously wondered about wolf demon children. Should she refer to them as pups?

"And of course it's not like we all sleep in here. The alpha gets his own room. Most sleep in other living quarters with a group. I can show you that as well. Actually, that sounds like a great idea. You up for a tour?" He stood and grabbed her hand to pull her up.

He walked to a corner of the cave that from afar looked like a wall but she could see now it lead to what she would call a hallway. A few entryways lined the wall. Looking towards the end of it, she saw it split into two tunnels. He held her hand and guided her.

They passed the first few rooms and she looked in to see that one had many weapons and other supplies and had no one in it, and another had a few people standing over a deer. Or what used to be a deer. She quickly looked away from that room.

Kouga turned down the left tunnel, but not before pointing to the right. "That's where most of the resting areas are. The alpha's is the very last one." He smirked. "That one's mine, obviously." She rolled her eyes and they continued.

The first room they came to was very large. Kouga led her in and she found out where the women and children were staying. She saw many animal skin mats with kind mothers sitting and caring for their young. The faces ranged from very young to very old. An old grandmother looking wolf demon holding a baby that had a tail stuck out the most to her.

It was something Kagome never had imagined. She walked over to them and Kouga watched, impressed by her bravery to walk around in a room filled with overly protective mothers. Kagome stopped a few feet away to gaze down at the baby. It was crying loudly and the grandmother rocked it slowly and hushed it. Something so human and natural she was almost shocked to be seeing it in the center of a wolf demon den.

The baby looked around and was about to start another round of cries when it looked up directly at Kagome and stopped. Kagome smiled at it and waved. The grandmother looked up in confusion at her.

"What is a human doing here?" She asked, but she sounded more curious than accusing. Kouga walked up behind Kagome. "I brought her here with me. She wants to help teach us how to live off other resources, since the meat around here is going scarce." The grandmother nodded and looked back down at the baby who was still staring at Kagome. She made a funny face at it and it smiled, showing two little tiny fangs growing in.

"He's very cute." She said. The old woman nodded again and waved her off. Kagome looked around again, fascinated with this new discovery. She saw a few younger children run past her, which looked to be 5 or 6, if she was going by human years. They wore fur pelts and brown leather shirts without any sleeves.

A young woman chased after them, laughing. "Come on now! It's time to go to sleep already!" She called. She was beautiful. Her hair was a light brown pulled into a loose bun, showing off her pointed ears. She wore a fur pelt and shawl, with a chest plate underneath. She caught up with the kids and started to tickle them until they gave in.

Another woman, who looked tired and worn, reached out to grab a wet rag someone was handing her. She had a small young girl sitting on her lap, who was maybe 2 years old. The girl was crying and the woman cooed to her while gently wiping her face. Something came to Kagome. She asked Kouga for her bag, and he handed it to her in confusion.

After a few moments of digging around, she pulled out a lollipop. Kouga of course had no idea what this thing was, but he let her do as she pleased. The walked over to the crying girl. "Excuse me?" Kagome said. The woman snapped her head up. The little girl continued to sniffle but looked interested. "Would you like this? It's real tasty! I bet you've never tried something this good!" Kagome handed her the candy but the woman tried to take it from her immediately. "What is this?" She asked. Kagome smiled, "It's food. Trust me, it's safe." Kagome pulled out a second one and put it in her own mouth. "See?" She said awkwardly, the candy making it hard to speak. The little girl giggled a bit and stuck it in her mouth. The woman sucked in a breath, but relaxed after the child seemed very pleased with the taste.

Kouga was shocked. Kagome was already helping out, and she just got here. And it seemed to come to her so naturally. She walked back over to his side and smiled, pleased with herself.

Kagome continued looking around the room. Everything she saw was so _human._ She never expected they would nurture their kids in such a similar way that she had grown up seeing in her world.

Other than their appearance, the only differences she saw was they were getting tucked in with fur blankets, being cleaned up with a rag and a bucket of water, and were sleeping in a room with dozens of other babies, children, and women. She also thought she heard a toddler start barking but that was beside the point.

She saw some of the women leave through the entryway she came in through and assumed they were going to be with their husbands, er, mates. Maybe they didn't have any children of their own and that's why they only stopped to help for a while but wouldn't stay the whole night. Kouga put his hand on her shoulder. "Do you want to go see the rest of the den?" He asked her. She nodded, taking one last good look around.

When they walked out, Kouga smiled. "What did you think?" She pursed her lips. "It was kind of surprising. I expected it to be more… Oh, I don't know. Wolf-like." She said. He chuckled. "We're not as crazy and primal as you seem to think. I'm very proud of how my tribe raises these kids. They live in a good environment." He said matter-of-factly.

He pointed down to the end of the hall. "That's the other room down here, just for the women to sleep in. Usually the only ones there are ones without a child or a mate. You're welcome to stay there if you feel comfortable enough. Of course you're welcome to sleep in my room too." He flashed her a smirk and she laughed. "I'll think about it." She said and pulled on his hand. "I want to see the rest of the den."

He smiled at her eagerness. "Well there's not much else to see. The other tunnel just has some rooms for people to sleep in. We can go back into the main area, or do you want to go sit outside? It's a nice night." He offered. Kagome perked up at the thought. It would be nice to take a walk outside and get away from all of the wolves for a little while. Well, all the wolves except one. "I like the outside idea!" She said cheerfully.

Kouga led her back through the tunnels and through the main area. This time through, no one looked up at her. She was thankful that they accepted her presence, or at least were ignoring her. He picked her up and covered her head with his before he jumped through the waterfall again.

Kagome squeezed her eyes shut until she heard the rush of water behind them. Upon opening them, she saw the sun was almost set, and the sky was a beautiful mix of oranges and reds. Kouga jumped down the rocks and landed on the soft grass where he set her down. She looked around and saw that the wolves who were outside had now gone in. They were alone out here.

He led her over to a patch of grass where she could sit and lean against a rock. He sat beside her, not too close and not too far away. She stared up at the sky and watched it's colors, slowly but steadily, darken. They sat quietly for some time, enjoying the sounds of nature and how peaceful it was. A nice break at the end of a busy day.

"Do you think you'll be happy here?" Kouga said softly. He was staring at the tree line but it seemed that he was thinking of something else. When she didn't respond right away he snapped to reality and corrected himself. "Just for the time you'll be here of course, I don't want you to feel too burdened by helping us." Kagome tilted her head to the side to think.

"I like it here. I feel like I'll be able to fit in. I think what convinced me the most was when I saw the women and children of your tribe; it really showed me how human you can be. We're not so different. Any time I've stood in front of your pack I've felt very left out. Like they immediately want to shun me just because I'm not exactly like them. But seeing them today made me see that I am just like them. I may not have the same physical abilities and appearances that you all do, but inside, we're all so similar."

Kouga stared at her. He didn't expect anything like that from her. But more than he felt shock; he felt a sense of pride. The woman he loved was beginning to feel like she was accepted here. Maybe she'd like it so much that she wouldn't want to leave…

He broke out of his short-lived daydream when Kagome shivered. "Cold?" He asked. The night air was blowing and he could feel the temperature starting to drop. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her against his chest. He felt weird doing it since she had always turned down his advances, but when she didn't resist, he relaxed.

"Hey Kouga?" Her voice was small. "Yes?" He felt her stillness and he was a bit worried as to what she wanted to say. "Are you sure you're okay with me coming here?" She asked. He had to laugh. "Of course, Kagome! I've been offering you a place here for so long, why would you even think you're not welcome?" She shook her head and removed his arm from her to look straight at him.

"That's not what I mean. Like, are you completely okay with being around me like this? I… I'm still getting over Inuyasha. Don't get me wrong, I have accepted him leaving and my feelings for him are gone. But I haven't been completely able to forget the past and I'm waiting for the day that it doesn't hurt to think back on it. What I'm trying to say is… I'm not here because I want to get with you. I just needed to get away from all the reminders I had of him, and from everyone who didn't even notice me. I don't think in this state I could ever truly like you back the way you like me, so I just don't want to be here and lead you on."

Kagome ended up staring at the ground. Kouga was quiet for a minute or so and the silence was almost unbearable now. She looked up slowly and saw him staring intensely at her. He had no anger in his expression, but something else. Something hopeful, kind, and… loving?

"Kagome, listen to me. I have always offered you a place here, even when you were so clearly infatuated with that mutt. That would never change. And now, you're actually here. I see that you're hurting inside and that hurts me. But I want to help. I want to be there for you. You don't have to ever like me back, that's not the point of loving someone. Because I love you, I want to support you. But that won't stop me from trying to show you just how much I care, because I can see that you haven't lost your ability to love."

Kagome swallowed hard. She had tears in her eyes and she didn't know why. She tried blinking them away. "How do you know? That I haven't lost it?" She whispered.

Kouga cupped her face gently. "Because _you_ came to _me_. You gave someone else a chance without even thinking about it." He licked his lips and looked down at hers, and for a moment, she thought he was going to kiss her. But instead, he closed his eyes for a few seconds before dropping his hands.

"We can go back inside if you want." He offered, but she shook her head. "No, I just want to sit out here and be alone with you for just a while longer… Is that okay?" He smiled softly. "Of course."

Eep! I enjoyed writing this chapter a lot. And I really hope you all enjoy reading it!

Please, any comments/suggestions or anything else are very welcome! _**Review, Review, Review!**_


	4. Chapter 4

Kagome didn't know how long she stayed outside with Kouga. She remembered leaning against Kouga's arm and staring up at the night sky and thinking of how beautiful it was. The next thing she knew was that she was being carried away by a pair of strong arms. She couldn't open her eyes yet, for she was almost completely asleep, but she was comforted by them and felt somehow safe.

That night, she had dreams that felt so real to her. Kagome was sitting in a field, surrounded by those who she loved. Sango and Miroku were laughing happily, Kilala was resting by Sango's leg, Shippo was sitting in her lap, and behind her, Inuyasha. He sat with his back turned against the group and he claimed to be "keeping watch" but there was no danger to be felt. Only pure happiness. Kagome saw his glances backwards and the smile that was often on his face.

They sat around and laughed and enjoyed the wonderful, sunny weather. Shippo would turn and smile up at Kagome and she would ruffle his fur. Kilala would mew sometimes just to chime in on the conversation. Miroku stared down at Sango lovingly and she couldn't look happier. Inuyasha would add his cocky remarks but you could hear his own happiness behind them. Everything seemed perfect.

Until Kagome heard a clap of thunder. The group continued on like nothing happened, but she was sure she heard it, and a foreboding feeling came upon her. "Did anyone hear that thunder?" She asked with a sense of fear in her voice. She felt something coming on.

None of them looked at her when she talked. "Hellooo?" She said, right before there was an ever louder boom. She nearly flinched. "Guys seriously, I think a storm or something might be coming on…" Kagome stood and looked around at her friends. They all had smiles on their faces and were laughing amongst themselves, seemingly never have heard her. Another clap, this time sounding closer and more immediate. She looked to the sky, and it quickly began to darken. She turned to Inuyasha.

"What is happening, Inuyasha?" She asked in a panic. He turned to look at her with a sad expression on his face. He said nothing. Kagome turned to her other friends, but they were gone. The sky continued to darken, and a mist approached them. Terror rose up inside of her. "Inuyasha!" She cried out. She turned to try and run to him for safety but she froze. She felt paralyzed.

Kagome could only watch as he turned and ran away from her like his life depended on it. She wanted to call out to him, but she couldn't. He was running straight into the mist. She knew it couldn't be a safe place there, it was only darkness and pain, but he still ran into it willingly. She could do nothing to stop him. She felt completely broken and alone. Somehow she collapsed to her knees and only thought of how they all had left her here in this strange place, not knowing what was going on. She stared ahead, looking for any sign of Inuyasha, but it never came. Instead, she heard footsteps behind her.

She looked back, the mist was almost completely surrounding her now. She couldn't see just exactly who it was, but a clawed hand reached out to her and she slowly put her own hand into it…

Kagome's eyes flew open, she was breathing hard and she felt dried tears on her face. She clutched at the blanket covering her, feeling sick to her stomach. Her whole body was shaking, and the fear she felt in the dream still lingered. Scenes flashed through her head as she remembered her dream and she closed her eyes again. She did not want to think about it. Remembering _him _and the happier times they had just hurt too much. After another minute of deep breathing and blocking the memories from her mind, she took in her surroundings.

Kagome was lying on a bed and using a large fur blanket to cover herself. She sat up slowly and looked around the room. She had never been here before. It was a fairly large room, and she could see an opening in the cave's wall that looked like a doorway. There was a fur mat covering it that prevented her from seeing out of the room. Looking up, she followed the arch of the ceiling until she saw that the highest point opened up to the sky. It was about midmorning, she figured.

To the right of the bed was a dresser, with a small stack of clothing folded on top. It looked like some sort of kimono, judging by the fabric. She wondered who they belonged to before continuing to look around the room. Looking farther to the right, she could see another doorway, this one not covered by fur. She tried to make out what was inside but there seemed to be no light coming from the room, so she couldn't tell what was beyond the doorway.

Looking to her left now, she saw a rug on the floor that looked to be made of leather, lying next to a wooden table. But she only glanced at them for a moment because what was on it interested her much more. Kouga sat with his hands resting in his lap and his chin down to his chest. His eyes were closed and Kagome could only come to the conclusion that he was asleep.

Kagome couldn't move at first. She could only stare. Did he spend the whole night there? Why would she be in a bed but he would be on the floor? Surely there were other areas he could have slept. A thought crossed her mind- was this his bed she was sitting in? She never would have imagined the alpha of a pack would sleep on the floor so some human could take his bed. Of course, Kouga didn't really see her as just _some human._ She was almost touched that he would do that for her, but she also felt guilty because she knew she had fallen asleep outside. If she had simply stayed awake she wouldn't have let him sleep on the floor like that.

Kagome slowly climbed out of the bed and walked over to him as quietly as possible. She felt the coldness of the hard, stone floor and she vaguely noticed that her shoes were removed. Crouching down in front of Kouga, she stared at him.

He looked entirely peaceful. His body was totally relaxed and his hands sat upturned in his lap. His eyelashes were long, but not girly. They brushed the top of his cheekbones. His hair was ever so slightly messy, his bangs falling in every which way, and a few strands of hair hanging loose from his ponytail. She let her eyes wander to his lips, which were slightly parted in a way that tempted her to kiss him.

She felt like she could stare at him all day. She never really had the chance to see him completely off guard like this. No cocky attitude or romantic advances or stern looks to his pack. He was just himself now, and he looked so vulnerable, something Kagome didn't think was even possible for him.

Suddenly, he made a noise in his sleep and moved his head slightly, which broke Kagome out of her fascination of the sleeping wolf demon. Was he waking up? She didn't want him to see her staring at him while he was sleeping so she tried to stand up and walk away-

But as soon as she moved, a hand reached out and grabbed hers. She looked back, startled, and saw Kouga looking at her through half-closed eyelids. "Kagome..?" He whispered. Kagome held her breath. When did he notice her? Did he realize she was just staring at him like some kind of creep? "Y-Yes?" She managed. Kouga stared at her for a few seconds, looking like he was still out of it. Kagome could practically hear her heartbeat in the silence, waiting for him to speak. Finally he talked.

"Breakfast smells amazing, and you could put some of those potato chips you carry with you on the side for me while you're at it…" He mumbled, staring off into space before his eyes flickered back to being closed.

Kagome stared at him. She didn't know what to say. Or if she even had to say anything, he was clearly fast asleep. Kouga's grip on her arm slowly loosened before he released her and fell backwards. She heard his head smack the ground, which was quickly followed by a yelp then a groan from Kouga.

He rubbed his head and looked at her in confusion. "What…?" He said, his voice gruff. Kagome burst into a fit of laughter. "Are you kidding me! You were just dreaming about me making you breakfast and then you- and then you just knock yourself conscious like that!" She continued laughing hysterically at him while he sat feeling incredibly heavy and tired, along with confused.

Kagome stifled her laughter to a quiet giggling and looked down at Kouga who was staring at her in wonder. "You were just sleep talking about how I was making you breakfast and then you fell backwards and woke yourself up." She explained, still smiling. Kouga made a noise of understanding. "You making me breakfast huh? Sounds like I was having a good dream then, too bad I woke up so rudely." He joked, standing up and smiling at her, his eyes still holding a sleepy look.

"Well speaking of breakfast, want to go get some?" He asked. Kagome nodded. Her stomach was feeling quite empty and she couldn't remember the last time she ate. "That sounds amazing, but uh, do you mind if I freshen up a bit first? I mean I just woke up and I don't want to present myself to your pack looking like this…" She gestured to her ruffled clothes and messy hair.

Kouga smiled. "Don't be shy! You look beautiful. They wouldn't dare to say anything anyways, not if they value their lives." He added the last part with a menacing look in his eye. Kagome was pretty used to the constant flow of compliments that Kouga seemed to have for her, but even without a mirror, she knew she looked terrible. Luckily Kouga seemed to sense her reluctance.

"Well if you insist, you can go into that other room over there and do what you want." He pointed to the doorway that Kagome couldn't see into. He then pointed to the dresser next to the bed. "I also called for a change of clothes in case you wanted it. We don't have many things that would suit a human, so that was the best we could do, I hope you find it to your liking."

Kagome smiled sweetly. "Well thank you for thinking about my human habits, like changing clothes regularly." She said somewhat sarcastically. He laughed once. "Well I'm going to go grab us some food while you do whatever it is you feel you have to do." And with that, he walked across the room and out the doorway.

Left alone, Kagome walked over to the dresser to unfold the clothes left for her. She was right in thinking it was a kimono. It was a pale blue silk, with dark blue patterns carefully embroidered into the fabric. It came with a light yellow obi to tie around her waist as well. At least she didn't have to walk around in leather and fur. When she picked the clothes up, she found her shoes were underneath them, along with her socks that looked to be recently cleaned.

Kagome was a little surprised that Kouga had his pack wash her socks for her, and also a little weirded out by it, but she was still thankful. She carried everything over to the dark room.

Upon entering, a rush of heat hit her skin. She also saw that it was not completely dark, just dimly lit. Candles surrounded the room giving it a dark orange glow. And in the center was the most shocking sight- A hot springs. Not an impressively large one, but it still looked amazing.

Her jaw dropped. Kouga had his own private hot springs attached to his room? Being alpha of the pack certainly came with its perks. She approached it cautiously and dipped her foot in it. It was the perfect temperature, and felt so inviting. Kagome quickly set the clothes and shoes down and took off her uniform. She slowly submerged herself and let herself relax.

,,,

Kouga confidently walked down the hall holding two plates full of meat. Of course his had all his favorites, while Kagome's had a bit of everything so he could learn which she preferred. They both had a little less than the usual amount, as everyone else in his pack also would have, due to the bad hunting they've been dealing with. He was about to turn into his room when another wolf stopped him.

"Hey Kouga, who's that human you've brought in here?" He said, almost spitefully. Kouga cast him a sideways glance. "She is here to help us. You will respect her." Kouga held a tone that clearly showed dominance, but the wolf demon wasn't picking up on it. "So she's sleeping in your bed? Come on, you know it's around that time to be picking a mate, no one is going to get with you if it reeks of human-" Kouga turned fully to face the wolf now, giving him such a menacing look that he immediately stopped talking. "_You will respect her_." Kouga growled, emphasizing each word. The wolf was silent for a moment before nodding and quickly walking away.

Kouga stayed where he was for another minute, letting his anger boil away. How dare a member of his own pack question his decisions? If they knew best, then they would be alpha. But they aren't, are they? Kouga continued to let these offensive remarks run through his head while he pushed aside the mat covering the door to his room.

His anger immediately washed away once he saw Kagome. She was standing there in blue and yellow silk, her hair wet and her skin slightly flushed. The silk fit her body perfectly, showing off her womanly figure. She glanced over shyly at him and smiled. She looked beautiful to him. He smiled back, his heart beating fast. He had to try and keep calm while around her like this. The way her hair was slightly messy, her cheeks pink, and her kimono complimenting her curves, it could nearly drive a man crazy. His eyes went up and down taking her in and he couldn't help but fantasize.

"So what's for breakfast?" Kagome asked, bringing Kouga back to reality. He grinned and held out a plate to her. "There was an assortment of meat to choose from, so I pretty much got you a bit of everything. I hope you like it." She thanked him and took the plate before staring down at it.

"Just meat?" She asked, her head titling to the side. Her hair fell away from her shoulder, exposing it and her collarbone. Kouga bit his lip at the sight. "Uh, yes." He said dumbly. He quickly followed it with, "That's the normal for us, we sometimes eat some herbs that a few of us gather, but no one really likes it." She frowned. "Well I guess that's why I'm here, huh? There's a lot more than just meat in the world." She giggled and gestured for them to sit at the table in his room.

Kouga sat across from her and observed the pieces that she seemed to enjoy more than the others while he ate. He wanted to know what she liked, for future references. He was doing it mainly because he wanted to be able to know her favorite meals so he could get them for her like a good mate would do. He knew it was selfish to want her to stay here permanently, but he couldn't help it. He wanted Kagome to always be there with him.

"So what's the plan for today?" Kagome asked in between bites. He chewed thoughtfully. "Well, I was thinking we would head out for a hunt. You could stay back and rest, or get to know more of the tribe." Kouga suggested. She paused at this, thinking. "Would I be able to start helping out today? I have a few ideas." Kouga was a bit shocked, but smiled at her enthusiasm. "If that's what you want to do, what do you have in mind?" He asked. Kagome smirked.

"Who usually gathers herbs, like you said a minute ago?" She asked. "I guess it's usually the women because they gather herbs for medicines. Some that they find are edible but we all pretty much think it tastes like dirt." He replied. Kagome nodded. "So they're gatherers. I was thinking I could lead a few of them out and show them other things to get that would taste lot better than medicinal herbs. It's fairly easy work, the only hard part is knowing what to pick and what not to pick." Kouga smiled. Not only was she beautiful, but she was helpful and smart.

"So it's settled then." He said happily, stretching back and smiling with satisfaction. "I'll go talk to a few people and get them ready to follow you. Are you sure you're okay with all this?" He asked. She smiled sincerely. "I'm more than happy to help. In fact, it's been a while since I've been put to real use, and I can't wait."

,,,

Kagome was staring back at dozens of faces. She saw that most of them were male, but there was a clear section of females. She was getting a little nervous standing at the front of such a large group, but Kouga was at her side, confident as ever, and it put her more at ease. Everyone was talking amongst themselves until Kouga straightened himself and cleared his throat. With one more glance at Kagome, he addressed his pack.

"Today will be a little different than our usual hunting. As you can see there are considerably more women here than we ever have. You can also see the woman at my side. Her name is Kagome, and she may be human, but she is strong, as well as smart. Those who I have spoken to will follow her today. I will not stand for disrespect or mistreatment towards her. You will do as she says. She is here to help us in these hard times. If you can't do it for yourself, do it for the pack. As hard as it is for me to admit, we _are_ getting weaker. The lack of animals in the area is affecting us in more ways than one. Not only do we have less food, we have less blankets and clothes for all of us. Even tools are getting scarce. Accepting help is an easy price to pay to get us by."

When Kouga first started speaking, the dissatisfaction in the crowd was obvious, but as he continued the mood changed. They were now standing silently, looking up admirably to their leader with looks of determination. Kagome was impressed with him, and peeking over at him she saw how serious he was about everything he said. His leadership skills were remarkable, and she envied him for that. She was hoping she could lead her group as well as him.

Kouga looked over the crowd, listening for objections or complaints, and when he got none, he spoke again. "Very well. Now, we split up. My usual hunters, follow me. We're taking the northern route through the woods and along the river. The others will follow Kagome. She will teach you her ways of living off the land." He paused, and ended off with a proud grin. "Good luck to everyone."

Kouga's group separated themselves from the women, and Kagome let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. There were only about a dozen of women left that she had to work with. She was beginning to get cold feet up until then. Kouga looked over at her and gave her an encouraging smile before joining his pack and heading off.

Kagome took a step forward and the group turned their attention toward her. Most of them seemed to be young adults, with one or two older women among them. They looked curious about her, as well as open to listening. She was grateful to Kouga for giving such a good pep-talk, because otherwise they probably would have never given her the time of day.

"Uh, hello everyone, my name is Kagome as I'm sure you know by now." She gave a small wave and an awkward smile to everyone, but no one moved. She continued, "Well getting down to business then, what I was hoping we could do today was head a bit west from here. I know of a few things over there that we could start with. My main goal for today is show you some crops to pick and hopefully have them for dinner tonight." She gave another hopeful smile to the group, this time with the response of a few nods and looks of understanding. She sighed with relief that she at least got a morsel of a reaction. "Okay then, we're off!"

,,,

The group worked slowly at first. They walked for a short distance until Kagome found a large quantity of wild carrots. The wolves were shocked when she grabbed what looked like a random green plant and pulled up a bright orange carrot. She explained to them that it was a good food by itself and even better when put into soups and salads.

Kagome cleaned it off with some water from the nearby stream and held it out to a tall young woman in the front. She glared at it but took it anyways. The woman examined it with suspicions for a few moments before taking a bite out of it. The rest of the group leaned in to watch for her reaction, and Kagome was crossing her fingers praying that the wolf demon would like the taste. Chewing slowly and thoughtfully, the woman's face lit up. "It's- It's actually delicious!" She exclaimed.

Kagome let out a quiet but triumphant "yes!" while the rest of them seemed intrigued. They all gathered around the woman with this strange new food, trying to get a bite. Kagome laughed at their eagerness and felt a sense of pride in getting their attention so well. She wished Kouga was here to see her progress.

After the group had all tried the vegetable, she showed them how to harvest carrots and wash them. They even began snacking while they worked. Kagome was excited that things were going well and wandered off to check around for more things she could give to the pack, eager to keep things moving. She found a plant that she believed was parsley, and while she was picking it she heard a clamor behind her.

She whipped her head around and nearly screamed. Lying on the ground was a girl no older than 12. She was no human child; she was clearly a wolf demon. But there was something off about her-

The girl whipped her head up and was gawking at Kagome, showing off her shiny fangs. Tears were welling up in the girl's eyes, and Kagome observed her more closely.

Kouga's tribe always wore brown fur. This girl was wearing all black fur.

,,,,

Eep! Excited to get this moving again. I made this chapter a bit longer since I haven't updated in awhile. I hope you enjoyed it and goddamnit _**revieeeeeewwww**_


End file.
